During a TEDx talk he presented to business executives, father-of-four, counsellor, motivational speaker and author Nick Bowditch made some frank admissions about his personal mental health struggles over the past 30 years. He also dispelled some common misconceptions.
“Mental illness is not a defect of character, but a gift,”
“Mental illness is not a defect of character, but a gift,” Nick said. And it is a gift he now shares with others.
“I know the view from the patient’s chair, and I also appreciate the power of kindness. I live with my own mental illness and that, coupled with becoming a parent, made me think I could do something to help people like me. It’s not what you are. It’s what you do.”
This realisation led Nick to study psychology at UNE, then complete Honours. Now he’s embarking on a PhD to research how AI might help people with addictions begin their recovery sooner.
Ultimately, he said, “kindness wins”.
“In my work as a counsellor I see the result and the wounds of a lack of kindness every day. It’s the privilege of my life to have conversations with people; to see them grow, change and heal after sharing things they’ve never said out loud or revealed to another person on earth.
“And the fact that people trust me with their innermost, darkest sh** means I can do something about it and help them do something about it … to give them the opportunity to change their life.”
A former nurse and tech entrepreneur, Nick worked part-time while completing his undergraduate psychology degree full-time. Now he’s also a Lifeline helpline volunteer and ambassador.
“Some of the best human beings I have met, I have met in rehab or fellowship meetings,” Nick told that TEDx audience. “Deeds not words.
“Something we can all do better is not only valuing kindness but dishing some out. It’s the cheapest and most effective way to connect humans.”
